Folding door assembly



1959 I J. w. GREIG 2,901,036

FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 1, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Aug. 25, 1959 J. w. GREIG 2,901,036

FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 1, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

MAMA; 14/. ski/a United States Patent FOLDING DOOR ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a folding door assembly su ch as might be employed as a closet door or adoor in any other location where such a door was suitable for use.

An object is to provide a folding door assembly comprising a pair of folding door sections which are adapted to be folded toward each other and partially out of the door frame opening to provide entry into the space controlled by the door and which are apt to be unfolded into planar extension toprovide'a closure for the space controlled by thedoor. I

Another object is to provide a folding door assembly comprising a pair of door sections which are so constructed, coupled together, and supported within the door frame as to function to provide easy access to the space controlled by the door or a closure therefor.

More particularly an objectis to provide a folding door assembly of the character above described which is simple, inexpensive, and embodies a minimum number of parts and wherein the construction is such that the folding door sections may be readily adapted to door openings which vary slightly in dimension.

Another object is the provision of a door assembly of the character specified wherein the door sections may be adjustably positioned upwardly or downwardly within the door opening to properly dispose them within said opening by the simple adjustment of a single supporting screw stud and the other supporting elements for the door assembly accommodate themselves to this adjustment.

A further object is the provision of a door assembly as characterized wherein the folding door sections and associated hardware elements form a compact unit which may be readily installed within a door frame opening by unskilled labor or the householder himself and without the use of other than very simple tools.

Other objects, advantages, and meritorious features will more fully appear from the specification, claims, and accompanying drawing, wherein:

by the door. These two assemblies are mounted within a door frame having a header 10, a sill 12,. and a jamb14. Each door assembly comprises a pair of vertical upright, similar door panels 16 and 18. These door panels may be formed of plywood, Masonite, or any suitable door panel construction and the character of the individual panel sheets has nothing to do with the invention. The invention relates to the mounting and assembly of the panels within the door opening and the hardware with which they are provided. In each of the two door assemblies' shown, the panel 16 is shown as disposed adjacent to the jamb portion of the door. Such panel is provided at its upper corner adjacent to the jamb with a socket retaining plate 20 which may be formed of metal or the like and secured by screws or in any other suitable manner to the top edge of the door adjacent to its jamb margin. Such socket plate is fitted with a socket 22 which may be formed of nylon or any suitable bearing material. The door header of the frame is provided with a channel 24- secured therein by screws or in any suitable manner. This channel opens downwardly as shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 7. A pintle 26 is fixed within the channel projecting downwardly therefrom as shownin Fig. 5., This pintle extends freely, slidably, vertically through the socket 22 andinto a space 23 within the upper edge of the door panel below the socket plate20,

I all as shown in Fig. 5.

There is attached to the lower edge of this same door panel 16 and adjacent to its jamb margin anut-retaining plate, 28. This plate is secured to the door panel by screws30 or thelike. A nut 32 is fixed to the plate upon its inner face and within an opening 34formed in the door panel above the plate. This nut 32 has its threaded opening in vertical alignment with the socket opening 22 in the socket plate at the top edge of the door panel.

A threaded supporting stud 36 is provided at its lower I end with a supporting plate 38. This stud is of a size Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a folding door assembly embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lower hinge of said assembly;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective of the upper hinge of the two door sections;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the threaded stud plate used at the bottom of the door;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the upper socket plate of one of the door sections;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the guide roller and plate used at the top of the door.

The door construction shown in Fig. 1 illustrates two 1 folding door assemblies disposed within the same door and is threaded to be received within the nut as shown in Fig. 2. The supporting plate 38 of the stud is provided with openings through which screws 40 may be extended to secure the plate to the door jamb or floor 12.

The two door sections 16 and 18 are hinged together by hinges 42 secured to the top and bottom edges of the door panel sections. Each hinge comprises a pair of hinge leaves, as shown in Fig. 3, hinged together by a hinge pintle 44 and the hinge leaves themselves are secured to the edges of the door by screws 46 or the like. These hinges support the outer section 18 of each door assembly so that it will occupy the same horizontal plane as the inner door section 16 and may be swung to hold the sections toward each other or to spread them apart as shown in Fig. 1.

The outer door section 18 is provided at its upper edge adjacent to its outer margin with a roller-carrying guide plate 48 shown in Figs. 1 and 8. Such plate carries a stud 50 adjustably threadedly received within a nut 52 fixed to the lower surface of the plate as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 8. The stud carries at its upper end a roller 54 supported for rotation about the axis of the stud. This roller is of a size to be freely received within the header trackway 24 as shown particularly in Fig. 1.

In mounting one or more door assemblies within the door frame opening, and it is apparent that one or any number of such door assemblies may be used, it will be found that door openings vary somewhat is height. For this reason it is necessaly to adjustably position the door assemblies Within the opening. The instant door structure lends itself 'to simplicity of such positioning. The

door assembly is positioned within the opening. It is then thendorissupperted attire reperhei'ghr: Th'e'doo'r is supported at the proper height entirely by this stud 36 which isrOtatabIy adjustablefwithin the nut 32. The pin- 'tle26 is"; of course; verticallyfslidablj received 'within the socket 22hr thesocket plate 'aii'dthe" roller 54' is, of course, erved withinlthetrackway z4asslroy'vn infFig. 7; "'It is 7 idnfthat "it is possible 'tofadjustably position the-Tolddoor"verticallyb'yladjusting th e thre'aded stud 36 "j 'ni'th'e'nUt iSZ. "Wh e'n'" such stud is properly .adj1iete'd the stud'ipl'ateisthen" fastened to thefloor by the screws 40' and the doorisfmounted farme- What I clairrrisi 1 I 1: (In 'afbl'ding' door assemb1 =comprising a door'framfe ha' aheader channel extending lengthwise" along "the headeeand ope'n downwardly, and comprising twofc'ornpleifi eritary door sections" hinged together along twof 'vertical 'edges to" fo1d"toward' each other" or to be unfolded Iii!" afpl'aiiar" alignment," one door section'provided with a socket "in' its" top edge? and pr widt'adv with a threaded nut .fixedin" its bottom" edgewhich'said' nut and socket are disposed vertical alignment, a' header pin'tle fixed'in fthe'header'channeland 'projeetingdownwardly therefrom and vertically slidably received withinthe'socke't' in the upper edge'of' th'e'door, a" threaded'stud threadedlyre- 1 ,ceivedwithin'the nut'in the'bot'tom edge of the door for adjustment .of the's'tudupwardly and downwardly therein, said stild provided onit's'low'er' endt with a mounting plate fixed th'ereon' fonadjusti'n'ent up and down" with the stud, said" plate adapted to be secured to the oor frame "to support the stud projecting upwardly therefrom, said-door being swin g'able upon the threaded stud by threaded relati ve r'otation of the'stud and' nut, a pivot pin secured-to theffo't her door section-adjacent'to' thefree vertical .mar- -gin i'thereofand. projecting. upwardly therefrom, said pivot pin provided with a roller on its outer end adapted to traver'threirglrthe neauer channel;

2. In a folding door assembly having two complementary door sections hinged together along adjacent vertical edges and wherein one section is a primary section and is hinged at top and bottom adjacent to one vertical edge within a door frame havingsal-header and a sill, the combination in saidassembly. of saidprimary section provided with a socket'indtstopedge and"athreaded nut fixed in its bottom edge aligned werticall-ywith the socket and a headeriiehanneliadapted to be secured upontheheaider Within the door frame and provided'lwitli pirrz'fixed therein-and-projectingdownwardly therefrom and slidably verticallyreceiv'ed"within the socket of the section and a plateadaptedto be securedupbn the sill within the door frame, said plate provided with a threaded stud fixed thereto and adjustably threadedly rotatable within the, nut for vertical adjustment of the primary section within the" door framemn'dtor swingingoftheprimary section upon relativeuotation of the" stud and'nut.

Rrr'en'cestitea the file of this patent" UNITED STATES 1 PATENTS '1, 4o 0;13'o zimer; Dec." 13, 19:21 1,612,497; Dodg'e' Dec; 28, 19 216 1,612,499 Etheredge Dec. 28; 1926 1,9 4,316 1311180 1 June26, 1932: 2,675,716" Harrison Mar. so, 1937 "2,622,266 Sjtehle ...De'c'.23, 1952 2,720,674 Ho'rvay Oct. 18,1955

FOREIGN. PATENTS 13,435 Great Britain" lime 1611898 

